Mobile pack



1959 J. M. GREGORY ErAL.

MOBILE PACK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 12, 1957 Fran/11c 6. 501/771 %zey Dec. 15, 1959 GREGORY EI'AL 2,9l7, l67

MOBILE PACK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 12, 1957 Inventors JOSEPH M. GfiEGaEY e n w United States Patent MOBILE PACK Joseph M. Gregory, Harrow, and Frank E. Smith, Balham, London, England, assiguors to Designed Products Limited, London, England Application September 12, 1951, Serial No. 683,573

Claims priority, application Great Britain September 18, 1956 1 Claim. (Cl. 206-65) This invention relates to devices (hereinafter termed mobiles) for use in advertising or for display, entertainment or decorative purposes.

A known form of mobile comprises a plurality of elements made of sheet material which, when in use, are suspended from one another by means of threads or the like, the mobile, when suspended, being susceptible to even light air currents which causethe elements to rotate, usually without fouling one another. The threads are of such length and are connected to the elements at predetermined attachment points to enable the mobile to behave in the desired manner when suspended. The elements, particularly when used for advertising purposes,

may bear printed advertisements on both sides and have various shapes to provide an attractive display effect.

It is of considerable advantage to be able to pack mobiles of the above kind in a condition in which they struction. that the mobiles are substantially preserved against damage during transit and are readily capable of being removed individually without risk of entanglement of or damage to the mobile elements and/or threads and without seriously disturbing the remaining mobiles of thepack. i

According to this invention, a mobile pack comprises a plurality of superposed mobiles disposed substantially flat but in a condition substantially ready for use, each mobile being overlaid with a thin protective sheet connected in a readily separable manner to a part of the underlying mobile.

Preferably, the protective sheets but not the mobiles are separably connected together, and the entire assembly of mobiles and sheets is snugly confined in a cardboard or the like carton which, if desired, is provided with a carrying handle. In order to retain the assembly within the carton, the securing means for the sheets is desirably attached also to the bottom of the carton. The securing means may comprise staples, threads or the like.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an initial stage in the formation of one example of mobile pack according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 1 but shows the upper protecting sheet separably connected to the underlying mobile.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view'illustrating an assembly or pad of protecting sheets and mobiles according to Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a mobile pack according to Fig. 3 accommodated within a carton, a lid of which is shown open and the top protecting sheet being "ice shown detached from the remaining sheets but still attached to a suspension part of the underlying mobile.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view for illustrative purposes only of one construction of mobile used in forming the mobile pack according to Figs. 1-4.

Referring first to Fig. 5, the mobile comprises elements 1, 2 and 3, of which supporting element 1 is connected by a thread 4 to element 2 andby threads 5 to element 3, the mobile including a hanger element 6 connected by a suspension thread 6a to element 1. Although the example of mobile pack to be hereinafter described utilises this particular mobile, it is to be understood that any other form or design or mobile may be employed in the formation of a mobile pack according to this invention.

The first stage of production of the mobile pack is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The mobile of Fig. 5 which is in a condition ready for use is assembled or arranged to lie substantially fiat on a flat support which in Fig. 1 is illustrated for convenience and by way of example as a carrier sheet 7 of cardboard, the suspension thread 6a of the mobile being in an exposed, accessible position as shown. A thin protecting sheet 8, for example a paper sheet is then laid on top of the mobile and is preferably of rectangular shape. The sheet 8 is next connected to the mobilehanger element 6 which is disposed beneath the sheet near one edge 9 thereof and approximately mid-way along it. The sheet is connected to the upper surface of the suspension element in a readily separable manner as, for example, by means of a small staple .10, a thread, a spot of adhesive or in any other desired manner.

' The next stage is to arrange another mobile, which may be the same as or different from the mobile on cardboard sheet 7, on top of the protecting sheet 8 so that it lies substantially flat. The hanger element of the second mobile is preferably disposed in a substantially similar position to hanger element 6 of, the first mobile. A second protecting sheet similar to sheet 8 is;laid on top of the second mobile and is connected to thef ele ment 6 thereof in a similar manner to that above described in connection with sheet 8 and element 6.

,The above procedure is repeated until the desired mobile pack comprising superposed mobiles, each covered by a protecting sheet 8', .is formed.- 7 Such a mobile pack is illustrated in Fig. 3. The protecting sheets *8, but not the mobiles, are next separately connected together so as to form a unitary pad of sheets which protect the mobiles and minimise the risk of relative movement thereof. In the example, staples 11 are used for connecting the sheets 8 together at the two corners thereof between which the mobile elements 6 are disposed. In Fig. 3 one staple 11 is shown applied and the other in the course of application. Any known stapling machine may be employed for applying the staples. It is to be understood the sheets 8 may be separately connected together in any alternate manner. For instance, in forming the mobile pack, each sheet after being laid over a mobile may be adhesively united to the lower, adjacent protecting sheet at corner positions. If desired, the sheets may be separately connected together at only one corner of the pad or at all four corners. Their connection at the two corners illustrated in Fig. 3 has an advantag however, as will be hereinafter appreciated.

According to an important but nevertheless optional feature of this invention, the mobile pack is snugly accommodated in a cardboard or the like carton which facilitates transport of the mobile pack. Fig. 4 shows a cardboard carton in the form of a tray part 12 having a bottom wall 13. The tray 12 is dimensioned to receive the mobile pack, Fig. 3, as a snug fit. Altematively, the bottom wall 13 may serve the same function arflatsupportfijFigrl; in that the mobile pack may be built upon" wall 13-until the-tray-is substantially'full' of mobiles and protecting sheets 8, the staples 11 used for connecting the sheets beingalso connected to wall 135 Thecartomillustrated has-a hinged lid-14 carrying one-part15 of acarrying handle: When the lid is closed, the handlepart15 registers with a similar handle part 16 on th'e tray; therebyforming a strong carrying handle. When the lid is closed; the mobile packisfully protected and the *mob'iles are safeguarded against any movements liable to damage-the mobile connecting threads 4; 5; even when'the carton-ofmobiles is subjected to rough treatment during handling-or while being transported. In order to reduce still further any liability of the elements tomovemboutin the pack, at least one surface of each protecting sheet 8-mayg be treated, for example by-applyingrwax; flock or the like thereto to give the surface a high co-eflicient'offriction. It will probably be-desirable, however, to restrict the treatment to one-surface of each sheetandi to arrange-the-sheets so that each mobile-is positioned betweena treated surface of one sheet and anhntreated surface" of the other adjacent sheet; thereby eliminating risk of the-two sheets sticking together and thus preventingeventual separation thereof for removal of the-mobiles aswill be hereinafter'described.

A mobile packaccording to this invention withina carton is particularly, but not exclusively-suitable for useby' sales representatives. Such use will now be described with reference" to ,Fig. 4, it being assumed that itiis desired merely-to remove "the top mobile. from the pack'when'the lid 14' is opened. The top protecting sheet 8is 'ripped ofi staples '11 and lifted upwards, thereby carrying with" it. the mobile element 6 connected to it." The'sheet'is next detached fromstaple 1110f mobile element 6, thereby enabling the exposed mobile to be liftedicarefully out of'the carton for suspension in a positionof use as indicatedin Fig; 5. The remaining mobiles, if" not' required, are-.left"in the carton where they remainprotectedby the'sheets:8 still connected together by. staples 11;. Itwill'be appreciated that; the chosen positions of the staples'10, 11in the illustrated example of. mobile pack facilitates sequential and individual removal of the sheets 8 and mobiles.

It istto be understood that the construction ofcarton for accommodating the mobile pack may be different p from that illustrated in Fig. 4 so long as it gives access to theJnobile pack for individual removal of the mo-. biles as and when required.

Although but one embodiment of this invention has been hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

For instance, eachsuperposedmobile may be disposed between two protecting sheets formed by folding a single paper sheet in half, the upperr sheet of *thepack-"being' separately connected, adjacent. :its .free, edge. and -near. the middle thereof to a suspension part ofthemobile positioned between the sheets. All thefolded, sheets are stapled or otherwise separately secured'together adjacent the free .corners of the sheets and,. if. desired at other places to complete the mobile pack.

Further, a mobile packaccording to either of the above embodiments could be merely wrapped in paper, for example Kraft paper, instead of being placed in a carton. When a carton is usedand'the-mobile pack'does' not completely fill it, a-packing insertmaybe used' to 'prevent undesired movement ofthe mobile "pack within the carton. The'insert maybe-made of folded cardboard in=concertina shape and act as a resilient pressure pack ing between the mobile pack and a wall of the carton.

What we cIaim-anddesire to secure by Letters-Patent of the United States is:

As an article of manufacture, a package-comprising,- in combination, a plurality of units each containinga carrier sheet and a plurality'of preformed mobile images connected by threadsto a supporting element, said images and supporting element all being substantially flat and superimposed in-stacked relation on saidcarrier" sheet with the connected threadspromiscuouslyfolded about the images, a suspension thread for the supporting element, a hanger connected to theend' of the thread-oppositethe supporting element, a protecting'sheet-over lyingthe stacked connected mobiles, and a releasable connection between the protecting sheet and the hanger for lifting theconnected mobile images from the-carrier sheet for suspension by" the hanger-when it isdetached frornthe protecting sheet.

References Citedinthe file of this patent UNITED. STATES PATENTS 880,657 Haase Mar; 3,1908. 1,868,399 Slezak July 19," 1932 1,971,607 Haines Aug. 28, 1934 2,122,934' Ecomomakis July '5, 1938 2,735,203 Berger et a1 Feb. 21; 1956 

